"What!" Morris exclaimed. "Is Klinger sending that perculater up to One Hundred and Eighteenth Street too?" "That's what I said," Flachs answered, and Morris replaced the cut-glass dish on the shelf. "Was the name Gladstein?" he inquired, and Flachs nodded. "Then in that case," Morris said savagely, "let me look at some sterling silver for about twenty-five dollars. If them suckers could stand it, so can I." * * * * * More than two days had elapsed before Abe had exhausted the topic of Mrs. Gladstein's ten-dollar engagement present. He discussed it satirically, profanely and earnestly, from the standpoint of business ethics, in such maddening reiterations that Morris could not help wondering how much longer Abe's criticism would have continued had he known that the cold-meat tray really cost twenty-five dollars. "You are throwing away good money after bad, Mawruss," Abe said, renewing the subject after an interval of comparative calm, "because, so sure as you are standing there, we would never get our two hundred and fifty out of that feller Gurin." "What has Mrs. Gladstein's present got to do with Gurin?" Morris asked. "If I told you once, Abe, in the last two days, I am telling you a dozen times, understand me, I am giving that there cold-meat tray to Mrs. Gladstein as a speculation, Abe. What difference does it make who she marries, Abe, Gurin _oder_ Asimof, so long as we could land from her an order for five hundred dollars?" "Yow! You would land from her an order for five hundred dollars!" Abe exclaimed. "Well, if Sol Klinger could do it, why couldn't we?" Morris asked. "What are you talking about Sol Klinger?" Abe demanded. Thereupon Morris related to Abe the circumstances surrounding Sol Klinger's purchase of the coffee percolator, and when he concluded Abe nodded slowly. "So that highwayman is butting in too," he commented. "How much did you say he is paying for that samovar, Mawruss?" Morris closed his eyes as though he were making a conscientious effort to remember the exact amount. "Thirty dollars," he announced at last. "What!" Abe cried. "You stood there and let Sol Klinger buy for thirty dollars a present and we ourselves only spend ten? What for a piker are you anyway, Mawruss?" "What do you mean, what for a piker am I?" Morris said indignantly. "You are talking me black in the face on account I am spending ten dollars and now you are kicking I didn't spend thirty." "Did you tell me before that Sol Klinger buys a present?" Abe asked. "And furthermore, Mawruss, this wouldn't be the first time we are spending money to get business. Couldn't we afford to lay out thirty dollars if we want to?" "But, Abe----" Morris began. "But nothing!" Abe roared. "Why should you get all of a sudden so _sparsam mit_ our money, Mawruss? You talk like we would be new beginners on East Broadway already." "But, Abe----" Morris protested again.